I take another breath
by Caris Petruchio
Summary: Naive Vampire Theo comes up with the idea of creating himself a soul mate for the rest of eternity. When things take a turn for the worse and his soul mates life is hanging by a thread he doesn't know who he can trust but the Salvatore brothers.
1. Prologue

Note: I do not own the rights to the characters and settings from the vampire diaries in this story but I do own the rights to the characters Theo and Harriet. Now that that's out of the way… Happy Reading…

Prologue.

It started out as a fantasy. I wasn't in a good place; I was living with eight other vampires who were corrupted by blood and power. I hated them but I knew no life outside their rules. I think I stayed with them because it meant I wasn't alone. Even the pain of watching constant torture and blood shed around me wasn't as bad as the pain of being alone. An eternity of loneliness. That thought sent chills through my body. My idea of hell.

The fantasy started on another cold day, and it went like this; I would choose a girl, I would watch her and get to know her soul. Then I would erase her memory and do the unthinkable. I would turn her. We could spend the rest of eternity together. I would never be alone. It was sick and selfish but this fantasy was all that could get me through the day


	2. The Search

Six months later I couldn't go on for longer living in torment. I decided to turn my fantasy into reality. I fled from my companions and began the search. I used to call it the search for my soul mate. I was over whelmed when I started. Young women were everywhere, in my first attempts I would just walk the streets looking for one girl that would stand out and catch my eye. No hope. Every girl was so different and a glimpse of a girl walking by was not enough. My search lead me to Lockwood Girls High. This was better. Here I could watch them through the glass, hear them speak, see them smile this was where I found Natalie Cloveman.

She had glowing olive skin and caramel coloured eyes, her beauty drew me in like a mouth to a flame. She became the first. I followed her for a month, I got to know her friends and saw how she acted around them, I got to see what she did in her spare time but the more I watched the less I liked. Behind her beauty was a toxic mind. I saw the venom on her tongue as she talked about other girls behind there backs and her caramel eyes began to sparkle with hate. I stopped watching her.

The next girl I set my sights on was Agnes. Agnes had short ginger boy-like hair and the grin of an alligator. I liked her. She was charismatic and bubbly; she infected the people around her with happiness. I wanted to be infected by her happiness too. But the following of Agnes was short lived as I got to her home. As soon as she hit the door her happiness drained away. Her mother was very ill and Agnes was the only one there to look after her. It hit me then and there that I couldn't take Agnes from her mother. It was cruel.

I stayed in my hotel room for two days, the battle of right and wrong still fighting on in my head. Wrong prevailed and the next day I caught a public bus hoping that the gods would lead me to what I wanted; I spotted a young woman in a turquoise and grey stripped uniform. Maybe another school would give me what I wanted. I was not giving up. The uniform lead me to the gate if James Killianson's School of the Arts. This school was much different to Lockwood, both boys and girls filled the halls with turquoise and grey stripes, it was easier for me not to be noticed as I slid along the corridors. The school was for artistically talented students only; I walked past rooms laden with instruments and students belting out Shakespeare. It felt like the right place.

I began looking at girls, trying to process their different faces and categorize them in my mind. I ended up in an art studio. A girl sat their working feverishly on a large canvas, penciling features of an old detailed face; I assumed it was her grandmother. The girl's skin was the colour of chocolate and she had deep set almond shaped eyes. I watched her for awhile and made a decision – I would enroll tomorrow and get to know this girl better. She was my start as James Killianson.

The bell rang and the students began flooding their nearest exit. I stayed hidden wanting to explore more when the lights were down. The school looked grand at night, the dance halls looked vast and magnificent and the high ceiling created an elegant effect. I felt pleased. Something I didn't think I had felt in 15 years.

I heard feet padding along the floor in the room ahead. Someone was still here. Classical music floated down the hall and I pressed my eye to the glass panel on the door.

My heart was snatched from me.


	3. Harriet Sabine Ashlyn

She was pure beauty. A ballerina standing statuesque on Pointe. Her ice blue eyes focused on herself in the mirror studying her own form. Her limbs were long and delicate but only super natural eyes could pick up the way her ankles were quivering under the pressure. The bridge of the song kicked in and she began to move. I was mesmerized. She was delicate and fragile yet her body moved with so much power. Passion seeped out of her every step. Ice and fire were both fighting in her eyes.

Suddenly she stopped and thumped down to the ground, her chest heaving for breath. She had only danced for thirty seconds but she was exhausted. It must have been because she was human. She lay down and shut her eyes, she looked like and angel, her skin was porcelain and her hair was the consistency of yellow candy floss, forced into a messy bun atop her head. She opened an eye and cast a glance towards the door. Before she could blink I was out the building speeding to the hotel. It felt like my heart was beating.

I returned to Killianson the next day and strode up to reception. A short curly haired receptionist glanced up form her computer screen "May I help you?" She almost purred with delight. I locked eye contact with her and began to compel her "You are going to go and get me a new uniform while I use your computer." I muttered. She nodded and strode off. I was relived that worked as it had been awhile since I had compelled. My old companions thought compelling was the easy way out. I slid onto her computer chair and accessed the school data base. It asked for a name but I had nothing so I looked at the course information. I scanned the list and clicked on classic ballet 200, groggy id photos pop up of all the students and there she was. I gazed at the name. Harriet Sabine Ashlyn.

As the bell rang I went to search for Harriet. She intoxicated my brain with her beauty and I need my fix. I followed a heard of students to the cafeteria, and there she was sitting with two other girls both of them short and plain compared to her I sat down in the corner and studied her face. She was almost elf like, she had slightly pointed ears and a slightly pointed chin, her nose was small and button like in the middle of her face. It only dawned on me now after hours of thinking about her face that she had an unusual beauty. I closed my eyes and listened in for her voice.


	4. Learning to love

Over the next two months I watched Harriet closely trying to complete the image of her in my head. I learnt that she was quieter around her family than her friends. I learnt that she loved the colour purple. I learnt that she always gave her spare change to charity. I learnt that the reason she was so thin is that she barely ate – she felt pressure from the other ballerinas to stay thin. I learnt that she was afraid of disappointing people. I learnt that she loved her little brother Luca. I learnt she hated her mother for never believing in her. I learnt that she hated being tall. I learnt that she didn't have a boyfriend – this pleased me very much. I learnt that she loved storms. I learnt that she hated the way her hair always refused to do what she wanted. Everything I learnt made me fall for her even more. I learnt that I loved her.

I was sick of learning about her and I wanted to know her. She practiced Pointe ballet everyday after class because she didn't think she was as good as the other girls. I would need to teach her self confidence, so I decided that would be how we would meet. Looking through the familiar glass panel I saw her practicing leaps. When she becomes immortal she will no longer have to struggle with leaping in the air a part of my brain mused as I tried to make my self feel better for what I was going to do.

The door handle moaned as I entered the room. If I still had a heartbeat it would have been sky rocketing. She stopped and turned her ice blue eyes hitting me for the first time "Can I help you?" she asked curiously "Are you Harriet Sabine Ashlyn?" I said like I didn't already know. She winced when I said Sabine. "Just Harriet Ashlyn." She mumbled obviously ashamed of her middle name. I had her full attention "I am here to help you with your lifts, Mr Darvik sent me." It was a well thought out lie, I had seen her in class and the way she sat out when they did lifts – she said this was because she was taller that most of the male ballerinas on her course but mainly I think it was because she was afraid. I was taller than her but not by as much as she wanted. I saw her look at my arms doubtfully, she nervously shuffled towards me, I scoped her up at the waist and held her above my shoulder. She gasped with shock, staying ridged in the fear of falling.

After a few seconds I gently let her slip down to the floor. Strength was one of my preferred perks about being undead. "You ok?" I asked, she looked bewildered "I fine" she announced "I just never really get lifted that's all being… my size" her face flushed red. I was smug with her shock, but then the questions started "who are you? Where are you from? Are you being moved to the course? How old are...""Whoa, slow down there" I laughed interrupting her question frenzy, her cheeks were still glowing red. Secretly I was ecstatic she was even interested in me.

"Are you a teacher?" she asked raising her eyebrows. I hadn't really prepared for so many questions, so I decided to lie "Sort of, I'm a student teacher" she moved closer to me, her breath almost reaching my face "What's your name?" the said. I felt like she could pick up on my lying, it made me nervous. "Theo" I said "Theo" she muttered under her breath "Tell me Theo" she said suspiciously "Why did Mr Darvik send you to help me and not one of the better girls?" the answer to this was simple "Because he believes in you" I stated. Yet again she under estimated her talent "And also Harriet, some day you are going to be the most amazing ballerina" The look in her eyes as I said that told me she'd waited her whole life for someone to say that.


	5. The Death of Tinkerbelle

The next day I compelled Mr Darvik to think I was who I had lied to be. He swallowed it and proceeded to tell his students that they would be very lucky if they got to work with me. I hoped to god that they would not ask me to actually do ballet.

Every night I went to help Harriet my heart jumped at the sight of her. Each night we had fun and I became addicted to the sound of her laugh. She was the one. I was sure of it. Tonight I asked her to show me her audition piece for the school production. There was something she had that wasn't in the other ballerinas, when she danced she wasn't a dancer, she was a character. Someone completely new. She was auditioning for Tinkerbelle in Peter Pan. It took some convincing on my part as she immediately talked herself down saying she was too tall for the part. That was her excuse for everything 'too tall.' I watched her with a smile on my face. I was going to compel the director into giving her the part whether she got it or not – I had become used to giving her what she wanted just to get that smile on her face.

Something went wrong, her foot hit the ground at the wrong angle and she collapsed into a heap on the floor. The skin at her knee pulled back as she skidded. Blood hit the floor.


	6. Blood

Harriet was groaning at the ground clutching her foot. She looked up at me, pain seeping into her eyes.

I couldn't focus.

Blood.

That's all I could think.

Blood.

It had been to long.

Blood.

I hadn't planed this to happen.

I raced to her. "Whoa, that was fast." She whispered with a dazed smile. I couldn't control it. My finger trailed along the ground and I lifted four drops of blood to my mouth. Her blood was sickly sweet. The colour drained out of my face. My fangs slid out after along time of being hidden away. A look of terror flashed across her face. My thoughts were chaotic. You cannot hurt Harriet. Blood. I thought you were looking for the one. Blood. She's perfect. Blood. She opened her mouth to begin to scream. I panicked and shoved my hand in her mouth in an attempt to stop the screaming. A part of me gives up the fight. I sink my fangs into her neck.

Her blood is sweater than that I have tasted before and I let it flow through my system. it feels like new energy dripping though my veins and I'm addicted to it. Her screams stop and I remove my fist from her mouth and instead use it to tilt her head toward me. I let the soft feeling melt through my body. She shakes beneath my body weight. What are you doing! You've spent so long finding the perfect girl and now you're killing her. The thought pulsated through me like and electric shock and I let go of her. Her head hits the concrete floor with a thud. I'm shaking.

I stare down at her fragile limp body. Her blood in my veins no longer feels so sweet. She was once porcelain but now her skin looks grey with despair. I am disgusted with myself. My fangs slowly sink back in. I've just killed my soul mate. The rest of eternity seems even further away with this hanging off my shoulders. I hate my self. In the mirror of the studio I catch I glimpse of the scene, me standing with blood dripping down my chin next to the body of and angel. I hate myself. I am just about to lanch myself into a spiral of self hate when I freeze. I heard a noise. I stare back down at the busted up Harriet on the floor. Her chest slowly rises then falls.


	7. Life Line

If there was ever a moment for my heart to start beating again it would be now. I rush to her and lean over her sprawled out body. "Harriet" I say not knowing whether it's safe to touch her. "Harriet" I wonder if she can pick up the desperation in my voice.

I step back.

What can I do to help her? The hospital will demand to know what happened and I don't know how to explain the bite marks in her neck. I need the help of other vampires. It was simple. They were the only ones that could have been in a situation like this before. Harriet's breathing is like a ticking time bomb in my brain. I can't call anyone from my own coven- they only drink to kill. I have only been immortal 21 years and know of barley any vampires but the ones who I was raised with. The only undead I can think to call are the Salvatore brothers.

I get out my phone and dial Stefan. I pray to god his number still works. "Hello?" his voice sounded softer than when I had first heard it four years ago. "Stefan, it's Theo, I need your help" I try to sound calm and collected but I'm screaming on the inside. "Who?" "Theodor Harford, you meet me four years ago when I was traveling with Mary and Charles. Look Stefan I know you barely know me but you said if I ever needed anything…" I hoped he could pick up the urgency in my voice. "What's wrong" his tone sounded serious. I hoped I was doing the right thing. i hoped. I don't know whether to tell the story from the start or just explain the current situation. I go for current situation. "I'm in love with a human" I spit out "and she started bleeding and I couldn't stop and now she's breathing but I don't know and bite marks and the hospital and" I'm going so fast I can barley understand what I'm saying. "Is she conscious?" Stefan interrupts my hundred mile and hour word attack. I look at her lying limp on the ground. "No" I splutter. Stefan sounds like he's going to help. I take a breath. "Have you given her your blood?" Stefan mutters "What?" I am confused. "Vampire blood makes humans heal faster" Stefan says as if it is obvious. No one has ever told me this before; I glance down at my wrists. "How do I make her drink?""Hold on Theo" Stefan pauses "What kind of injury does she have? If it's to her body then give her blood but if it's around the head then it could cause damage." I groan "I sort of dropped her head to the floor when I stopped feeding, she's still out cold" I whisper. Things are not looking good. Stefan takes a long breath "How far away from Mystic falls are you?" "about half and hour" I say – really its about two hours but I have no intention on following the speed limit or driving safely."Bring her here" Stefan decides. I take another breath.


	8. The Salvatore Brothers

I was in mystic falls twenty minutes later with Harriet in my arms at the Salvatore door step. Stefan opens the door and his eyes immediately drop to Harriet. I speed in and place her on the couch. "Oh my god." A female voice gasps. Looking up I see Katharine staring down at Harriet with wide eyes. She looks different."This is Elena" Stefan's says placing some sort of wet cloth on Harriet's head "Elena?" I say looking at him, I listen for a second, the girl has a heartbeat. It's not Katharine. Before my mind starts to wonder I turn my attention back down to a still limp Harriet.

"Oh lord Theodor, when looking after a human your suppose to let them eat. everyone knows that" Damon enters the room "I mean who want skeleton for lunch anyway?" rage pulsates through my veins but all I can do is stare at Harriet- I block out Damon. "Is this a head injury Stefan?" I ask my eyes locking his. "I don't know" Stefan muses "she has lost a lot of blood and she is umm" Stefan pauses "very underweight for a girl of her height so her body might be having trouble finding the protein to make more blood" my head droops down "Why didn't you feed her" Elena says wrapping her hand around Harriet's wrist with a horrified expression. I always knew she was thin but only looking at her now did I realize how bad it really was, I think my eyes must have clouded over the real issue because I didn't want to believe it. It hits me like a train as I stare at her striking hip bones. "It wasn't me" I whisper to them "she's a ballerina and she barely eats because she…" I can't finish the sentence. I feel sick. How could I have been so stupid.


	9. Theo's Choice

I can't look at her any longer, Stefan motions for me to meet him in the hallway and I jump at the chance. As soon as were out of ear shot from Elena he turns to me with a grave expression. "Tell me what happened from the very begging" he says slowly. I swallow. "The last time you saw me I was traveling with Mary and Charles, things were good back then. Then Charles got hungry for more and began expanding our group, soon there were eight of us and it changed from a group about exploring the world to a group about hunting and competing for innocent blood. I hated every second of it, but I didn't know how to get away – I had only ever known what Charles had taught me. I knew nothing about what life was like without him there. " I paused and looked at Stefan, he looked curious. He motioned me to keep going. "I came up with this idea that I could escape from Charles's pack. I would pick a human girl and turn her into a vampire, we would spend the rest of our lives together and I would be happy and free." After saying that out loud I began to realize just how sad and weak I sounded. It defiantly sounded better in my head.

"So then you found Harriet?" Stefan questioned a slightly disgusted look on his face. "No, it took me a long time to find Harriet. I followed other girls first, trying to get to know them from a distance and see if they were the one. I would watch them and school and at home looking to see if they were the girl I would spend the rest of eternity with." "You stalked them." Stefan stated this time with definite disgust on his face. "I never thought of it like that, it was just my way of checking them." I mumbled, ashamed of my actions. I kept on going with my story "I ended up finding Harriet and straight away knowing she was the one, unlike some of the other girls the more I followed her the more I got to like her. After some time I decided to introduce myself to her for the first time. I lied that I was a student ballet teacher to get close to her, I had only known her 4 days and she was beginning to like me when the accident happened." I didn't know if I could keep going but Stefan urged me on "She was dancing for me. Showing me her audition piece when her ankles just sort of collapsed and she hit the ground at the wrong angle and skinned her knee. It was a simple injury but there was still blood. I wasn't prepared to be so close to her blood, I had never properly practiced self control before and before I knew it I was no longer me and I was biting her neck." I began to shake, I hadn't really thought back on the accident since it happened earlier tonight. Her blood was still lingering in my system. These memories were hitting me like knives in the back. Regret was tugging at my gut. "Her blood was so sweet and I didn't want to stop, but then I remembered all I had felt for her. it took all my strength to let her go, I didn't think about her head hitting the floor. Then I began to panic and called you, you know the rest." Stefan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge between his forehead, thinking hard.

I was beginning to calm down but nerves still rattled through my body, I listened in for the soft sound of her breathing. "If vampire blood can heal her then why can't I give it to her?" I ask. "Because I can't be sure why she's not waking up or even stirring. Vampire blood heals physical injuries fine but when it's an injury to the brain things can go wrong – the body will try to heal too fast and connections might not fix properly, it could cause her brain damage. With her weight all of his healing will put a lot of strain on her heart, her blood is thin. I don't know what to do." Every one of his words cut through me like a dagger. The pain of loosing her seems too much and she's not even gone yet. I consider dying with her. "We can give her blood and hope that she heals properly or we can leave her and pray that her body does the right thing. It's your choice." Stefan turns to me. It's my choice.


	10. Mental Warfare

I bundle myself up into a ball on one of the Salvatore's couches and begin to think, a war goes on in my head struggling to come up with the right thing to do, either way she could die. I cast a glance over at Harriet on the couch at the other side of the room. Elena is still leaning over her and stroking her hair. She has a calm motherly expression on her face, I like her, and she looks like she cares for Harriet even though she doesn't know her. It's like someone has taken Katharine and filled her with good – I can see why Stefan obviously loves her, she's so filled with hope. Stefan is on the other side of the room, his head is buried deep into some thick medical book, concentration masks his brow as he scans pages for something that might help. I don't feel like I deserve their help.

Harriet's still breathing and I think god every time she sucks in another shallow breath. It hurts me too look at her as the ugly red tracks of my bite mark are still visible on her neck. This is all my fault.

I imagine each possibility – I imagine me giving her my blood and her wounds healing, her eyes fluttering open, I imagine her not remembering who she is and what she loves. I imagine the old Harriet gone. I start to imagine myself just leaving her on the couch and waiting, waiting for weeks for her to wake up. Each second is torture. I imagine her never waking up and life just slipping from her in the middle of the night. I don't know how much more of this imagining I can take. Elena has stopped leaning over Harriet and is now looking at me, I beacon her over with my finger. "If you were Harriet what would you want me to do?" I question, desperate that this girl will provide me with an answer. "I can't tell you that Theo, I'm not her." she whispers back. This is not the answer I wanted.

"Just imagine that I was Stefan and you were her, what would you want me to do… give you blood and risk you mental injury or wait not knowing if you could just slip off in the night." Elena paused deep in thought. My brain continued to battle it out. It felt like hours had past before Elena finally gave me and answer. "I would want you to try and give me the blood, I would want to know that you did everything you possibly could to try and save me." She seemed so sure. I glanced up at Stefan, he was nodding. "I'll do it." I whispered, the words stinging my own ears.

We mad a small crowd around Harriet. Elena held her hand and Stefan sat at the end of the couch nervously watching over her. I could feel my phantom heart beat again as I pressed my wrist to my mouth and tore off a small chunk of flesh. It felt like time was going in slow motion as I pressed the wound to her lips. My blood dripped down her throat, and all I could think about was the unbearable silence that was circulating around the room. Please don't die.

Harriet didn't move. My wound healed over and I looked up at Elena, tears were welding up in her eyes. I cast my eyes back down to Harriet; her face was cold like ice. Then a miracle. She opened her eyes.


	11. Screams

The wound on her neck healed neatly and her eyes began to focus on her surroundings. Everyone in the room took a deep breath. "Harriet." I whispered. She opened her mouth and let out a gut wrenching scream. Shocked I stumbled backwards; this was not what I expected. She sat up and began to thrash about scared and disorientated by her surroundings. Her screams continued to piers my ears. Stefan reached forward and tried to stop her from screaming, she battered his hand away and got up from the couch. "Harriet!" I shouted over her screams. She stopped and looked at me with wide eyes, "What are you?" she shouted back in distress.

I didn't know how to answer her question, obviously the last thing she remembered was me licking her blood off my fingers and biting her neck. She remembered me a monster. I had no explanation for my actions. Stefan tried again to put his hand on her shoulder to calm her; she turned around "Who are you." She demanded backing towards the wall."Where here to help you, you're not well." Stefan said drawing closer to her. Her eyes darted wildly around the room trying to take in her surroundings. I began backing away; I wasn't prepared for this I couldn't take the pain I had brought on her.

Damien came down the stairs, "What is that god awful noise?" He exclaimed then casting his eyes onto the shaking Harriet in the corner. He let out a small laugh, "oh, it's awake is it…" he said darting with supernatural speed over to Harriet. She let out a whimper as he moved closer to her face. "Stop it Damien." I begged wanting this nightmare to end. Damien turned to me with amusement on his brow, "What is it with you two… always protecting the human." He motioned to Stefan and me. "What are you?" Harriet piped up again this time with more determination. Damien turned to her slowly, I began to cringe dreading what he would say next. "Hasn't anyone told you love… were vampires." On cue he popped his fangs out in Harriet's face to hear her screams. To my surprise she made no noise. I looked at her in disbelief. "Vampires." She muttered and then as if on cue she past out into a pile on the floor.

"LEAVE, you've done enough" Stefan shouted at Damien pushing him out of the way. Damien could tell his fun was over and he left the room. Harriet was back where she started, a limp mess on the floor. "Poor girl" Elena whispered under her breath as she rushed to Harriet's side. Stefan picked her up and turned to me, "Stay here, I'll put her in a bed upstairs and then we'll discuss what we do next." I felt like a child being scorned by their father. Elena followed closely behind Stefan that mothering look still on her face.

I was left alone down stairs. I thought about what had just happened, it was all so fast. I imagined being Harriet and waking up in an unknown room with two strangers peering at you and one man that had just tired to kill you calling your name. I didn't blame her.

Stefan and Elena came back down stairs holding hands and sat at the kitchen table waiting for me to join them. I walked over and sat down, "She'll be fine, it's just the shock." Stefan said trying to calm my nerves. "This whole mess is my fault, I am a sick heartless being what did I think I could take her away from her life and force her to love me just for my own pleasure." I began scolding my self, digging myself further into a pit of self loathing. "What's done is done." Elena said "We need to think about what were going to do next." "I have a plan." Stefan says "When she wakes up Elena will be there and she alone will talk to her and tell her everything she can about you and vampires and what has happened, Elena you will calm her down while I will teach Theo how to live off animal blood." "Animal blood?" I interrupt "Yes, you might not have been told that Vampires can sustain themselves on animal blood as well as human blood. You will need to know this if you want to be able to spend time round Harriet. You and Harriet can stay with us for awhile and I will give you and her a chance to get to know each other better as it was clear by her reaction she did not know as much about you as you thought." I nod. His plan sounds good if it all works. "Once you know her better you will offer her a choice, either become immortal as you intended her to or go back to the way she was. I will not let you just steal her away like your original plan." "I know that plan was wrong now" I say. I truly mean it. "What if Elena can't calm her down?" I question, still vaguely doubtful. "She will be able to, now come with me- I need to teach you how to live off animal blood." Stefan said confidently.


End file.
